This invention relates generally as indicated to a plastic frame for dust mops, including particularly a solid base member having a flat bottom surface for applying uniform pressure over substantially the entire surface of the dust mop to help maximize the amount of dust mop yarn surface on the floor for better cleaning, and a rigid hinge member securely molded in place in spaced relation to the back side of the base member to facilitate attachment of a handle to the dust mop frame.
Heretofore, it was common practice to utilize a rigid open metal wire frame for supporting a dust mop and attaching same to a handle. However, not only are such open wire frames relatively expensive to manufacture, but they have the added drawback that they only apply pressure to a relatively small portion of the total area of the mop surface, i.e., to that portion which is directly engaged by the wire frame. As a consequence, the weight distribution over the mop surface is not very even, which is important in order to maximize the amount of mop yarn in contact with the floor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,480, there is shown a plastic molded mop head including a generally flat plate to which a sponge-like material is attached by adhesive or other suitable means. However, up to now mop heads of this type have not been used with conventional dust mops which may, for example, be anywhere from 12 inches to 48 inches long, to apply uniform pressure over substantially the entire surface of the dust mop to help maximize the amount of dust mop yarn surface on the floor for better cleaning. Also, the mop head and associated handle mount of such patent do not appear to be designed to take the heavy loads that may be encountered with the larger dust mops.